Review: The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

The character, based on a real life pioneering policemen, is a very different kind of detective to that of the aristocratic Sherlock Holmes.

Mr Whicher is no longer an inspector with the Metropolitan Police as the latest two-hour drama opens and it is a chance meeting in a seedy London pub with the haunted Susan Spencer that leads him back into the world of sleuthing as a 'private inquiry agent.'

A labryinthine mystery develops from what at first seems to be no more than a simple missing person inquiry.

From a slow start the atmospheric drama, written by Neil Mckay, builds into a compelling and engrossing period piece.

Paddy Considine leads an excellent cast and there has been much attention to detail in creating a convincing 19th Century London, with plenty of fog, seedy inns and refuges for fallen women, as a backdrop for most of the action.

It is clear from the start that his character has not completely recovered from the torment of the events in the original The Suspicions of Mr Whicher.

He stalks the Victorian mean streets with a purposeful tread, but is an unhappy soul.

Miss Spencer, played by the ubiquitous Olivia Colman, it quickly becomes clear is also troubled and hiding secrets.

It was a busy night for Olivia who as this show was screened was also to be seen on BBC1 picking up two acting awards in the Baftas.

Her character in The Suspicions of Mr Whicher is searching for her pregnant niece who has headed to London in search of the father of her unborn child.

When the 16-year-old niece turns up murdered Mr Whicher is persuaded by the aunt to find her killer.

At first it seems a simple case of the girl being knifed by her good for nothing lover Stephen Gann, but our hero travels to Miss Spencer's home village where he discovers that her father had been murdered by Gann's uncle.

Whicher's investigation is then made more difficult as his former police colleagues, apart from his friend Inspector Lock, seek to stop him interfering.

As the mystery ramps up Whicher and Lock visit a seemingly benevolently-run asylum in search of answers only to find more questions.

Whicher's latest suspicions lead to a grave being dug up without finding the body he expects and our hero is accused of being delusional.

Afraid that his rational judgement has gone he decides to give up investigations for good only to strike on a new clue at the girl's funeral.

Once Whicher finds Stephen Gann he seems to be close to solving the case only for everything to fall apart again and Whicher eventually ends up incarcerated in the asylum himself in a straightjacket.

Once the prime suspect's grandfather, an inmate, reveals the final missing piece of the jigsaw, it only requires Whicher to make his escape and confront the villains.

It looks like we will have more of Jack Whicher's detecting to enjoy on the small screen as the final encounter between him and Miss Spencer sees him saying: "I'm not sure I'll be taking any other cases."

"I think you will," is the reply.

John Corser